Traveling by car with children can be a lot of fun, or a lot of frustration. Proper planning can make all the difference. Here are some tips to make your travel time a success.
Print out a map showing the beginning and ending points, with larger cities marked. As you drive, have your kids mark off the cities or other landmarks on the map. This helps them see how far they have gone, how much farther you have to go, and teaches them about time and distance. Its also great to squash the how much longer questions.
Bring along games and books that they can play on their own, but also have some games you can play as a family. One of our favorites is to pick a topic, and then we rotate through the family. If we say ice cream, then each person tells of a story or something they remember that involves ice cream. This is a great way to learn more about your children, as well as tell them some new stories.
No road trip would be complete without snacks. Make a bag for each child with their own snacks inside. They can pick and choose what they would like, giving them some freedom and giving you a break. Let them know beforehand that the treats must last through the whole trip so they wont eat them all at once. Its also fun to have some other treats stashed away that you can pull out when the kids are restless.
A DVD player can be an easy way to entertain the kids while you are driving, but finding some family games and activities can help you bond with your children more and make the trip a better memory. If you have a DVD player in your car, dont rely on it for all the entertainment. Using the tips discussed here can make your trip easier, and bring you closer as a family.